Reactions to the STR ordinance process

The Riverside County Board of Supervisors has approved some major changes to its Ordinance 927.2, “Regulating Short Term Rentals” (STRs). Some of those changes include caps or limits on the number of STRs in Idyllwild (and Pine Cove) and the Wine Country. Also, there will be a minimum distance required between future new STRs. The revised ordinance, which includes other new requirements, goes into effect Jan. 11, 2024.

John Hildebrand, director of the county’s Planning Department, and several local residents have provided their thoughts and comments on the process that resulted in 927.2

Hildebrand

Hildebrand has been with the Planning Department for eight years and its director for more than two years.

The original Ordinance 927 was approved in 2016. This is the second major revision in two years. “In particular,” he emphasized, “this ordinance — STRs — impacts the entirety of the county. Business owners care; and for community residents, it becomes very personal.”

Hildebrand described both revisions as challenging, but, “The first was a response to huge increases in STRs since 2016. That struck a lot of nerves with both operators and residents. We were getting over a hump the first time.”

During the past year, Planning held several community meetings on the Hill and in the Wine Country. This outreach was important and valuable, he noted.

“We wanted a full spectrum of participants. It got a little heated, but we obtained a consensus over the new rules,” Hildebrand said with satisfaction. “There were no real surprises.”

The property rights issues were visceral. STR owners felt they had rights to use their property and neighbors felt they had a right to protect the community feeling and avoid nuisances created by strangers who would leave in a day or week. “These meetings were consensus building and I empathize with everyone’s position,” he said.

Meanwhile, the staff in the office spent a lot of time writing and revising the language. “It was mechanical and we wanted it to be straightforward,” Hildebrand said.

“I think we got there,” he said assuredly. “Not everyone is happy, but I thought what we have is best for the county.”

Hildebrand added that he will compile a report on the implementation of this version of the ordinance, any unexpected problems and evaluate it in a report to the board in about six months.

“This type of ordinance is organic,” he explained. “It is not set in stone and can be changed.” Sometime in the future, the STR market may change and version 927.3 may be needed, he concluded.

Residents’ thoughts:

Two Pine Cove residents — Mark Dean and Woody Henderson — were thoroughly embroiled in the community discussions.

Dean, former Pine Cove Property Owners Association (PCPOA) president, began with a reflection on how he came to the Hill and its changes.

“My parents brought me to Idyllwild in 1976 with what was their second home. It was for weekends and vacation getaways. When I acquired the home in 1995, it was the same for several years until I retired and became a permanent full-time resident of Idyllwild in 2010.

“My parents knew all of their part-time and full-time neighbors, as did I. Now I’m surrounded by STRs on all sides. I know the owners and they’re nice people,” he added.

“What they all fail to understand or accept, however, is that what makes it so intolerable is the concern of who or what is going to show up on the coming weekend. And it’s that extreme anxiety that has driven me off the Hill. I now only go there on weekdays, and when I’m there I’m saddened by the lack of community,” Dean said describing his current feelings. “I have few ‘neighbors,’ I’ve lost friends to the STR war, and now I have little desire to go there. It doesn’t feel like home anymore … Our community deserves better.”

Henderson is the current president of the Mountain Communities Fire Safe Council and on the PCPOA board, and he had some more specific thoughts.

“We are happy to see Cap and Density mentioned in the new ordinance. So many residents and business owners pushed hard for it; in front and behind the scenes,” he wrote and then added, “With lifetime grandfathering, an increase in STRs and a very small Density measurement, we are not expecting much relief. We can now focus on getting Code Enforcement up to speed … County planners and our supervisors have given us all that the STR industry will allow them to.”

If someone wants more information about Ordinance 927.2, Henderson offered this, “… new 927.2 goes into full effect on January 11th. We will be distributing more information on how to best handle problem properties. To get on the email list, you can sign the online petition: chng.it/mtxMSwRXFq.”

Idyllwild resident Joel Feingold also was deeply involved in discussing how to change the STR ordinance for several years. He began his final thoughts with, “Now that 927.2 is officially in the books, I will reiterate that some of the aspects of this ordinance, cap and density specifically, were not as strong as the majority of Idyllwild was looking for.”

Nevertheless, he expressed some optimism for the future: “Having said that, it is a good thing for the folk in residential neighborhoods, who have a right to peaceful enjoyment of their premises, that there are stricter rules that these businesses must now adhere to.

“At this point, it’s about educating the neighbors of the STRs as to what some of these new rules are, and how they can utilize them when needed.

“One of my favorites — and mind you, nobody in our group brought this one up or suggested it to the county, but it is now official — [is that] not only will the owner of the STR be fined $1,500 on the first noise violation that is officially cited, but the responsible party who signed the contract and rented the house will also be fined $1,500. This is something managers and owners should clearly let their guests know,” he advised.

Another Idyllwild resident, Jon Brown, an STR owner, has a different perspective on the result.

“None of it really directly impacts me. I have one permit and no desire for another in Idyllwild,” he said in an email. “I came into all this as someone that simply loves the opportunity that STRs provide — as a guest. I’ve stayed in so many incredible places all over the world and had amazing experiences I would never have had staying in a hotel. Largely I just wanted to pay that forward to people visiting my hometown.

“There is so much pressure on everyone everywhere, especially when it comes to housing, but I just can’t stomach the misplaced ‘locals only’ hate which I see fomenting,” Brown opined. “We’re very fortunate to live in paradise; the least we could do let visitors enjoy a little of it, too.”

Grace Reed, also an Idyllwild resident, is a Realtor on the Hill and in the desert communities. She offers a slightly broader perspective on the STR issue.

“Idyllwild businesses have always relied on vacationers, that’s what I always heard when selling ads [for the Town Crier],” she began. “Our community is run by volunteers; many of the residents have moved or aged out so we need new residents …

“I’m very excited about the new businesses in town; maybe the new business owners started out renting STRs, fell in love and moved full-time to the Hill,” Reed suggested. “The moratorium has changed the buyers. We now have true part- and full-time buyers. The question I receive from prospective buyers is, how can the county tell me what I can and cannot do with a property that I pay taxes on?”

Whether STRs are the cause, Reed does not assert, but she has observed, a shift in real estate buyers. “… more LA buyers than our historic San Diego and desert but they are still strong.”

While Idyllwild Water District (IWD) President Dr. Charles Schelly was not active in the front lines of this debate, IWD’s wastewater treatment plant was sometimes mentioned as a potential victim of expanded STR usage in Idyllwild.

“Although aging and in need of upgrades, the wastewater treatment plant continues to perform well. We are always concerned about reaching capacity but we are nowhere near that in any of our recent months … We have not seen a significant impact on the sewer district from STRs,” he said in an email to the Town Crier.